THE SOPRANOS (Season 3 HBO ON DEMAND)
For some reason, HBO stopped putting the eps up on demand. Too bad - I was rather enjoying the 5th season and definitely thinking I might've been too hard on it. With the expectations lowered, it's quite a cool, albeit very slow moving season. But it certainly had it's very high points.
THE OFFICE (NBC)
Super-sized with an extra 15 minutes to introduce the two branch merger (a direct plot point from the BBC show.) Although - they didn't give Michael a boss, which they did in the BBC show - but I'm sure that's to prolong the tragectory of the show. The episode itself was great fun - i love the BIG TUNA guy going toe to toe with Michael in terms of bad humor. The Pam/Jim stuff is interesting - and as usual - Dwight is so far over the top he keeps the show from becoming great. All that aside - I really like the American version and it's a welcome addition to Thursday nights.
Grade: B
WORLD'S GREATEST BATHROOMS (E!)
Worth watching if you happen by it.
MEATLOAF: BAT 3: THE MONSTER IS LOOSE (AUDIO)
Possibly too harsh the first review around - I'm still listening to it. Liking THE MONSTER IS LOOSE title track more and more (I didn't realize there was a cool middle to the song) - BLIND AS A BAT must be the best song on the cd, IT"S ALL COMING BACK TO ME is played out but Meat delivers a great vocal that saves it (almost), BAD FOR GOOD is another high point - it sounds a lot like INTO THE FIRE from BAT 2 - but that's not a bad thing. Except for one unfortunate refrain (I was built for speed) - this songs rocks pretty hard in the tradition of Jim Steinman. Still hating CRY FOR ME, IF GOD COULD TALK, LAND OF PIGS, IF IT AIN'T BROKE - but really loving ALIVE. Can't stand WHAT ABOUT LOVE. Kind of think SIEZE THE NIGHT was well intentioned but misfired. THE FUTURE is getting better to my ears - and CRY TO HEAVEN is as somber a piece as u'll find in the plundered Steinman cataloge to end this thing. All in all - a very decent showing and I still can't help thinking that if Jim had done this from top to bottom, we'd be in a different ball game - but for the meantime, i'm going to have to change my B - to a B for the songs that do work.
REVISED GRADE (RARE) - B / B +
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE: SINGLE: CANCER (AUDIO)
Haven't really given the whole cd a whirl yet - but CANCER is a heartbreaking song perfectly executed.
Grade: A
I WANT YOU TO KILL ME (vh1)
Very enteraining doc on Kiefer Sutherland's bad that he's promoting in England. Surprisingly absorbing. And watching Kiefer is really fun and interesting.
Grade: B
So -- in the life is too short category, I've dropped 2 shows.
STUDIO 60 - very close to being dumped - but it's getting into levels of badness that I find entertaining. The 2-parter with John Goodman seemed like it was done in the 70s. Even with a corny ending you could see coming 8 miles away.
VERONICA MARS - brilliant first season. Decent 3rd season, but - it's over. I don't even know what's going on anymore and I watch it every week.
HEROES - great vibe - but after 8 eps, I expected something to happen. It's a slow build and they haven't gone anywhere with it - so as for now, it's off the dvr.
AMERICAN DAD (FOX)
Stan becomes a drag racer. Funnier then last week, but not that funny.
FAMILY GUY (FOX)
I swear I can't remember what it was about but it was very funny.
Grade: B +
THE SHIELD (3rd season dvd set)
Boring opening eps - GREAT middle section, then sort of peters out in the last couple of episodes. All in all, a pretty decent season.
Grade: B +
OVER THERE (dvd set)
Just finished watching this with The Girl. Thought it had a really lame uneventful season ender - but it was still a good episode. The highlite had to be when Curry Graham guested as a suicidal doctor - I think that was the last great ep - but this was a great show, and the 90 minute docu on the making of it is extremely fun and very revealing. This is a show that should've had more seasons. But, as it stands:
Grade: A -
For some reason, HBO stopped putting the eps up on demand. Too bad - I was rather enjoying the 5th season and definitely thinking I might've been too hard on it. With the expectations lowered, it's quite a cool, albeit very slow moving season. But it certainly had it's very high points.
THE OFFICE (NBC)
Super-sized with an extra 15 minutes to introduce the two branch merger (a direct plot point from the BBC show.) Although - they didn't give Michael a boss, which they did in the BBC show - but I'm sure that's to prolong the tragectory of the show. The episode itself was great fun - i love the BIG TUNA guy going toe to toe with Michael in terms of bad humor. The Pam/Jim stuff is interesting - and as usual - Dwight is so far over the top he keeps the show from becoming great. All that aside - I really like the American version and it's a welcome addition to Thursday nights.
Grade: B
WORLD'S GREATEST BATHROOMS (E!)
Worth watching if you happen by it.
MEATLOAF: BAT 3: THE MONSTER IS LOOSE (AUDIO)
Possibly too harsh the first review around - I'm still listening to it. Liking THE MONSTER IS LOOSE title track more and more (I didn't realize there was a cool middle to the song) - BLIND AS A BAT must be the best song on the cd, IT"S ALL COMING BACK TO ME is played out but Meat delivers a great vocal that saves it (almost), BAD FOR GOOD is another high point - it sounds a lot like INTO THE FIRE from BAT 2 - but that's not a bad thing. Except for one unfortunate refrain (I was built for speed) - this songs rocks pretty hard in the tradition of Jim Steinman. Still hating CRY FOR ME, IF GOD COULD TALK, LAND OF PIGS, IF IT AIN'T BROKE - but really loving ALIVE. Can't stand WHAT ABOUT LOVE. Kind of think SIEZE THE NIGHT was well intentioned but misfired. THE FUTURE is getting better to my ears - and CRY TO HEAVEN is as somber a piece as u'll find in the plundered Steinman cataloge to end this thing. All in all - a very decent showing and I still can't help thinking that if Jim had done this from top to bottom, we'd be in a different ball game - but for the meantime, i'm going to have to change my B - to a B for the songs that do work.
REVISED GRADE (RARE) - B / B +
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE: SINGLE: CANCER (AUDIO)
Haven't really given the whole cd a whirl yet - but CANCER is a heartbreaking song perfectly executed.
Grade: A
I WANT YOU TO KILL ME (vh1)
Very enteraining doc on Kiefer Sutherland's bad that he's promoting in England. Surprisingly absorbing. And watching Kiefer is really fun and interesting.
Grade: B
So -- in the life is too short category, I've dropped 2 shows.
STUDIO 60 - very close to being dumped - but it's getting into levels of badness that I find entertaining. The 2-parter with John Goodman seemed like it was done in the 70s. Even with a corny ending you could see coming 8 miles away.
VERONICA MARS - brilliant first season. Decent 3rd season, but - it's over. I don't even know what's going on anymore and I watch it every week.
HEROES - great vibe - but after 8 eps, I expected something to happen. It's a slow build and they haven't gone anywhere with it - so as for now, it's off the dvr.
AMERICAN DAD (FOX)
Stan becomes a drag racer. Funnier then last week, but not that funny.
FAMILY GUY (FOX)
I swear I can't remember what it was about but it was very funny.
Grade: B +
THE SHIELD (3rd season dvd set)
Boring opening eps - GREAT middle section, then sort of peters out in the last couple of episodes. All in all, a pretty decent season.
Grade: B +
OVER THERE (dvd set)
Just finished watching this with The Girl. Thought it had a really lame uneventful season ender - but it was still a good episode. The highlite had to be when Curry Graham guested as a suicidal doctor - I think that was the last great ep - but this was a great show, and the 90 minute docu on the making of it is extremely fun and very revealing. This is a show that should've had more seasons. But, as it stands:
Grade: A -
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